Tohru's Secret Crush
by sinister banana
Summary: ON HIATUS/UNDERGOING REVISION. Tohru's got a crush and it's making her crazy. Jelly legs, heart racing, tongue-tied, and blushes galore! Will the madness ever stop?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters owned by the great Natsuki Takaya.

A/N: Finally! I was able to upload this. I hope you all enjoy!

***Update 8-20-11***

**This story is finally off hiatus. Expect monthly updates until completion.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Tohru had been thinking about it for days. Every time she saw him her stomach felt all fluttery. Sometimes when he spoke she couldn't think. And then there were the times he would smile and the world seemed to stop. She used to see him every day and he had never affected her like this before. What was going on? It was time to consult her two best friends, Uo-chan and Hana-chan. They would know exactly what was wrong.

Tohru sat through lunch contemplating how to bring this topic up. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared in great concentration at the riceball in her hand. There had to be a way…

"Earth to Tohru. Is something the matter?" she jerked her head up in front of Arisa's waving hand. The Yankee stared down at her in concern. "You're completely zoning out."

"Eheh," Tohru sweatdropped. How long had they been trying to get her attention? "Sorry, Uo-chan. I was just thinking."

Hanajima's cool gaze bore down on the slender girl before her. "Something is troubling you," she stated. "Do tell."

Tohru looked up slightly fearful. Could she do it? Would they think she was strange? I mean, she didn't have to say who was causing these feelings. Tohru took a deep breath. "What would you do if every time you saw a certain person they made you feel…funny?"

"Funny?" repeated Arisa, painted eyebrows rising higher. "What exactly do you mean?"

Tohru could feel a blush slowly rising in her face and she looked highly uncomfortable. How exactly could she put her feelings into words? "I'm not quite sure. But things happen. Like my stomach gets all tingly…and stuff."

"Tingly?" Hanajima repeated. "Is this person someone we know?"

Tohru could feel her face light up even more. "Kind of…"

Both girls stared at the little brunette. Dawning realization spread across their faces as she sat, hands folded, staring neatly into her lap. Uo's voice cut through the silence.

"No way. No fucking way!"

Tohru's head shot up, desperately seeking enlightenment in the other girl's eyes. She looked frantically between Uo-chan and Hana-chan. "What?" she questioned. "What? Did you figure it out?"

The two girls looked at each other, neither knowing how to break the news to their adorably innocent friend. Finally, Hanajima opened her mouth. "I believe this is what you would call," the raven-haired girl delicately selected her next words, "…a crush."

Tohru looked back and forth between her two friends. Had she heard correctly? This feeling was…a crush? But how could that be? Surely this was not the case! Not now! Not on…_him_. Ok, maybe on him. I mean, he was attractive and she knew other girls liked him too.

Uo grinned at the confused look on Tohru's face. "So who is it?" she asked, eyes lit up in mirth. "Orangey or the Prince?"

"N-nani?" Tohru squealed, face turning, if possible, even pinker.

"Aw, come on! You hang around with them so much I just know it's gotta be one of them!" Uo gave her a knowing look. "I'm right. Aren't I?"

Tohru gulped. Hana slid an arm around her shoulders. "It's ok, Tohru-chan," she patted the brown-eyed girl in a soothing sort of manner. "Despite all the fuss Arisa makes, it's not a big deal. We'll keep your secret."

Tohru gaped, mouthing wordlessly at her two best friends. "Y-You really think I have a-" she lowered her voice to whisper her next words, as if it were dangerous just to say them out loud, "-a crush?"

Uo smirked. "It's so obvious I don't even have to think about it twice."

"Oh dear," Tohru murmured to herself. This could not be good.

**~0~0~**

After school, Uo and Hana walked Tohru out of the building. Tohru was a little flustered. Arisa had been trying all day to get Tohru to tell her who her secret crush was.

"Pleeaase?" the blonde whined again. "I swear I'll be okay. Even if it is Carrot Top."

"Arisa, don't harass her. Tohru's a delicate being," Hana reprimanded.

"Oh, alright," Uo threw her arms up in the air, admitting defeat. "But I will find out eventually. We all will once you two start going out."

Tohru 'eeped.' "G-going out?" she repeated quite weakly and looked like she might be pass out at any second.

"Of course!" Uo carried on, oblivious to Tohru's obvious discomfort. "I mean, you are going to tell him you like him, aren't you?"

"Like…him?" she repeated vaguely once again. She suddenly looked fearful. "I can't do that! What if he doesn't like me back?"

"Of course he will like you back, Tohru-chan," Hana smiled as though talking to a small child. "Why wouldn't he?"

"Oh look," Uo suddenly commented brightly. "The Prince and Carrot Top headed our way."

"Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun…" It took a moment to register. "Ehhhh?" Tohru turned quickly around and almost fell over when she saw that _he_ was standing there.

"Honda-san?" Yuki looked concerned at the flushed look on the girl's face. "We waited for you outside. Are you ready to walk back home?"

Tohru eyed Yuki's smiling face and Kyo's watching her expectantly. Suddenly her knees felt very weak.

"I…uh…I'm so sorry! I have some errands I forgot to do!" She took off running. The two Sohma boys looked after her little trail of dust in confusion. Even Hana and Uo looked surprised.

"Well…I didn't expect that reaction," Arisa remarked quite blandly.

"That reaction?" Kyo picked up on her words. "What the hell did you do, Yankee?"

"I didn't do anything, Orangey!"

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

"Alright, cat-lover…"

While Kyo and Uo continued their shouting match, Yuki turned towards Hanajima. "Is…Honda-san…er…alright?"

Hana considered this thoughtfully, gazing from Yuki's eyes filled with concern to Kyo, red-faced from shouting at her good friend. Either of these boys would be lucky to date her precious Tohru. That was true. But who would treat her like the delicate flower that she was?

Hana finally smiled. Yes. _He_ would love her and make her happy. She was sure of it. His waves and hers messed together quite pleasantly. She looked up at Yuki who was still looking at her questioningly. "Hai, Sohma-kun. Tohru-chan will be just fine." Now if only _he_ could figure it out.

**~0~0~**

After taking a ridiculously long time debating over whether to get Takeshi brand versus Kimura brand short-grain rice, Tohru realized she could not procrastinate any longer. She had to return to the Sohma house to prepare dinner for Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo. Not to mention the grocery store employees were starting to give her funny looks.

She gave a sigh and grabbed a bag of rice with the huge 'Kimura' label stamped across the side, and made her way to the check-out line. "Miss?" a voice asked, suddenly bringing Tohru out of her thoughts. She looked up at the young woman standing behind the register. "Is this all you're buying?" The woman indicated the lone bag of rice.

"Uh, yes. Why do you ask?" Tohru asked politely.

The woman smiled brightly. "Just making sure you found everything alright. You spent a good hour staring at those two brands of rice."

Tohru could feel her face heat up. Great. Now this woman probably thought she was deranged. "I-I-I just wanted to make sure I was making the right choice!" she heard herself squeak in an attempt to save face. "Yes, um, and I think I did. You know, uh, in picking the right one."

The woman ran the bag across the scanner. As Tohru handed over her yen the woman looked deep into her dark chocolate eyes. "Boy troubles?" she finally asked sympathetically. Tohru opened her mouth to speak but found the words would not come. Instead she nodded rather meekly. "I hope things work out for you. Don't think about it so hard and…take it easy. Alright?"

Tohru nodded again, grabbed her grocery bag, and practically flew out the door. She thought about the grocery-woman's comments. Was she really that obvious to read?

Oh! What should I do once I get back home? Tohru thought to herself. It wasn't like she could just avoid him. For kami sake, they lived in the same house! And he would definitely notice if she just stopped talking to him. Not that she could say much aside from gibberish when he flashed his rare and genuine smiles. Oh, just thinking about him caused her brain to cease functioning and sent her heart racing! How could she possibly act normal around him?

"You're home!" Shigure announced her arrival as soon as she walked through the door. He spied the grocery bag and grinned widely. "Ah, our precious flower making sure we are happy and fed! What would we ever do for dinner without you, Tohru-chan?"

"Probably order take-out like you usually to make us do."

Tohru felt her head turn at the sound of the voice. Instantly she felt her breath catch as her legs turned to jelly beneath her.

**~0~0~**

* * *

**Preview next chapter:**

_"Baka, neko! What did you think Saki-san and Shigure were talking about on the phone?" Yuki eyed the cat. "Honestly, you're so dense."_

_"Shut up, stupid nezumi! It's not like I was listening to the entire conversation!"_

_"So what? If Honda-san wants to go have fun with her friends then that's her own business! She doesn't belong to you!"_

_Tohru felt the blush creep onto her face. Her neck heated up and her eyes widened. _She doesn't belong to you!_ Yuki's voice echoed in her head. Did it mean anything? Did it mean she was claimed? Could it possibly mean that he liked her? She didn't know what to think. Her eyes swirled._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya. This story's plot belongs to me. :)

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Tohru lay in her bed thinking about today's events. She had abruptly fled into the kitchen after Kyo and Yuki had come out to greet her upon her arrival home. Both offered to help her prepare dinner but she could only shake her head feverishly since words were lost as soon as she looked at _him_.

Oh kami-sama. The thought of him made her heart rate speed up. She could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. Desperately, she tried to quell the feeling. She could _not_ afford to have a crush right now. Graduation was so close and she needed to focus all her energy on school work and her part-time job. Her focus was ruined when she spent all day thinking about…_that person_. She moaned slightly into her pillow. Gah! Stupid feelings. Stupid emotions. Leave it to _him_ to take up all her waking thoughts. Not that she really minded…

No, wait! Of course she minded! School! Work! These were things she promised her mother she would do. She would graduate high school and find a respectable job in the working world. She would do this! And she wouldn't allow some silly thing like a crush to get in the way of her promise.

She heaved a great sigh and closed her eyes. Images of his smiling, wonderful face filled her every thought. She groaned in frustration. This "crush" business was definitely not good.

**~0~0~**

"Who is it?" shrieked Uotani, for the fifth time that day. It had been almost a week since Tohru had begun this whole crush ordeal and it wasn't getting any better. In fact, she was almost having an even harder time concentrating. And it didn't help with Uo constantly breathing down her back trying to figure out who _he_ was. She was sure she was going to have a nervous breakdown.

"Arisa, stop that. Can you not see how your constant shrieking affects our poor Tohru?" Ah, Hanajima. The voice of reason. The only one able to shut the blonde up for a least a few minutes a day.

Uo smirked wickedly, "It'll only mean she'll crack sooner." Hanajima threw her the darkest look. "Eh…I mean she'll tell us when she's ready."

Tohru looked relieved. Really, it's not like she didn't want to tell her two best friends. It was just…well…Sohma boys (and girls) were always around. What if one of them overheard? What if they told…_him_? She didn't know if she could live it down.

"There, there, Tohru-chan," Hanajima crushed the girl to herself in a motherly embrace, patting the top of her head, "Everything will be alright." Tohru gulped. Everything would be alright…when pigs flew. "I'm going to call you tonight and ask Shigure if you can spend a girl's night in with yours truly and Arisa. I expect you to come."

Hanajima released Tohru and glided away to class. "Well," Uo began brightly, still standing next to Tohru, "guess that means you can tell us who your crush is then!" She grinned broadly and entered the classroom. Tohru just shook her head. How did she get herself into these situations?

**~0~0~**

As promised, Hanajima called shortly after dinner to ask if Tohru could spend the night. Yuki and Kyo both looked up in mild interest as she passed the phone to Shigure so Hana could request his permission to have her come over. "Of course she can!" Shigure's pleasant voice agreed. "Now remember, make the cookies after the pillow figh- hello? Hello?" The novelist looked offended as he stared at the receiver. "She hung up on me!"

"Pervert," both boys murmured as Tohru stared on in confusion.

"I don't understand," Tohru looked on blankly. "What pillow fight?"

"GAH!" Kyo's face turned bright red and Yuki averted his eyes, a slight blush staining his cheeks. Shigure gave a hearty laugh and smirked. He stared intently at naïve little Tohru as she looked up at him for an answer.

"Well, dear Tohru-chan, let me explain. Sometimes when young women get together, they get the urge to grab pillows and run around in only their- OUCH! AH! HEY! THAT HURTS!" Tohru sweatdropped as the boys pummeled the poor author. After all, he was just helping her, right?

After the boys had calmed down and Shigure was nursing his wounds ("Itai…"), Tohru got up from the couch to pack a bag for the evening. "When did Hana-chan want me to come over?" she asked Shigure.

"Anytime," he responded.

"Wait, what? You're leaving?" Kyo looked up in surprise.

"Baka, neko! What did you think Saki-san and Shigure were talking about on the phone?" Yuki eyed the cat. "Honestly, you're so dense."

"Shut up, stupid nezumi! It's not like I was listening to the entire conversation!"

"So what? If Honda-san wants to go have fun with her friends then that's her own business! She doesn't belong to you!"

Tohru felt the blush creep onto her face. Her neck heated up and her eyes widened. _She doesn't belong to you!_ Yuki's voice echoed in her head. Did it mean anything? Did it mean she was claimed? Could it possibly mean that _he_ liked her? She didn't know what to think. Her eyes swirled.

"Honda-san?" Yuki suddenly noticed her expression and stopped. "Honda-san, are you alright?"

"Tohru," Kyo breathed, looking concerned. "Tohru, say something!"

…_doesn't belong to you…_

Her heart stopped as _his_ eyes fixed upon hers, boring into hers. They were filled with so much care. "I…" _I can't think_. "I…" _I can't stop staring_. "I…" _I want to be with you._ "I have to leave." She forced herself to turn away as she fled up the stairs. She could not deal with this right now.

**~0~0~**

"Tohru! You're here!" Uo threw the door open widely and embraced the tiny girl in a hug. She pulled away slightly and caught the look on Tohru's face. "Oh no, Tohru? What's wrong?"

And immediately the young brunette burst into tears, although Uotani couldn't tell if they were tears of sorrow or tears of happiness. Hanajima walked into the scene carrying a tray of hot tea. "Tohru!" she immediately dropped the tea tray, splattering the contents all over the floor. She rushed over to their tiny friend. "Did _he_ do something? You need to tell us what's going on."

"I…I…he…"

"Hanajima, I'll take her up to your room and let her calm down. Then I'll come back downstairs to help you clean up."

"N-no, it's…sniff…ok," Tohru mumbled quietly. "I-I'll help you clean up. It's my fault for making you drop it in the first place."

"Please don't say such things, Tohru-chan. I chose to drop the plate when I saw you," Hanajima explained. "Please go upstairs like Arisa said and we'll come up when we're finished."

Tohru opened her mouth to protest but Uo quickly ushered her up the staircase. She set her stuff down in Hana's room and slowly sat down herself. She looked around the room and spied a photograph of herself, Uo, and Hana on the latter's bedside table. It was when they were all younger. Before all this silly crush stuff began. Before any of them had ever met…_him_.

She replayed Yuki and Kyo's argument in her head. Now that she though about it, she was probably just overreacting. Yuki's words didn't have to mean anything. She was reading too far into this. But then…what if it did all mean something? What if _he_ liked her? Her eyes swirled again.

"Tohru?" A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. Hana and Uo walked in carrying a tray of milk and cookies. They set them down carefully on the floor. Tohru stared at the cookies.

"But…I thought…the pillow fight…" she murmured.

"What?" Uo looked confused.

Hanajima merely looked the other way. "The novelist," Hana spoke blandly. "He does not know what he's talking about."

"Uh…" Silence.

Back at the Sohma house, Shigure got the creepiest vibe. He shuddered. Maybe it would be best if he didn't tease Tohru so much. Who knew what her friends were capable of? Especially that wave girl…

Hanajima smiled creepily. "Cookie?" she offered to Tohru.

"Thanks!" Tohru grabbed the cookie excitedly, completely oblivious to the ominous waves resonating from her friend. Arisa grabbed a cookie as well. Tohru took a huge bite. "Mmm! Hana-chan! These are delicious!"

The darker girl smiled. "They are still not as good as yours, Tohru-chan."

Uo took a bite. "Wow," she sounded impressed. "Tohru's right. These are amazing."

Hana flushed slightly and put a hand to her cheek. "Well, I've been practicing for Shishou-san…"

Arisa choked on a cookie while Tohru threw her praises about how much Shishou-san would love her baking. In all the commotion, Tohru's dilemma was completely forgotten as the three girls laughed, smiled, and told stories about their day. Before long they were donning pajamas and ready for bed.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," Arisa groaned as they began unrolling futons to sleep on the floor. "But we have that stupid English assignment due."

"Did you finish yours, Tohru-chan?" Hanajima eyed the girl in question.

"Y-Yes…" Tohru yawned widely, stretching her arms above her head. "Yuki and Kyo helped me." That had been an interesting experience. The two had bickered almost the entire time and she'd had the hardest time formulating sentences around _him_. He must have thought she was completely hopeless. They had to explain almost every question to her.

"Speaking of," Uo began concerned. "Are you alright now? You seemed pretty…not yourself when you arrived."

Tohru flushed. "Yes, I'm fine now. I think I was just overreacting."

"Did something happen?" Hana asked looking at the girl inquisitively.

Tohru didn't know how to start. Where should she begin? With Kyo's outburst at her leaving or at Yuki's statement during the argument? Her friends watched as the emotions played across her face.

"Tohru, I think you should just tell him. Whichever one, tell him you like him. It's the only way to get him out of your head all the time and to begin functioning like normal again," Arisa voiced her opinion.

"I, too, agree with Arisa," Hanajima seconded.

Tohru was at a loss for words. It was true. She couldn't afford to have this distraction anymore. "But I'm scared," she voiced quietly. Scared that he wouldn't like her. Scared that he wouldn't be friends with her again. Scared that…he would leave.

Hana and Uo both looked at her. "You know you have to tell him."

Tohru sighed. Yes, she knew. Her belly flopped at the thought of staring into his eyes and telling him how she felt. What would he do? What would he say? "I'll just…tell him," Tohru told herself, trying to gain the confidence to do it. "I'll tell him that I like him."

She punched the air in determination. Hana and Uo both laughed at the action. "That's right, Tohru," Arisa ruffled the top of her hair. "You tell that Sohma boy you like him."

…_doesn't belong to you_…

She smiled and fell asleep to the sweetest dream about him.

**~0~0~**

* * *

A/N: Hmm...wonder who it could be. Any guesses? Cookies to anyone who guesses correctly. Aaaaannnnnnd...please review!

**Preview next chapter:**

_"Go on," Uo encouraged, pushing her gently. "Tell him and then we'll meet you in class." She smiled as Tohru stumbled her way forward, the girl's entire face alight at the thought of what she was going to do. What would he say? Did he maybe like her too?_

…doesn't belong to you…

_She smiled at the thought and attempted to muster up her courage, not noticing as Uo and Hana slowly left her to her own devices. But as she got closer, Yuki and Kyo still didn't seem to notice her. They were too caught up in their little debate. She began to falter. Haru noticed and eyed her with interest. Why was Tohru stalking up on them like this was a life or death situation? And why was she looking at _him_ so intently? It was like _he_ was the sole focus of her world._

_Tohru suddenly looked very nervous and very ill. Haru could almost hear her heart fluttering. The gears in his mind slowly clicked. She opened her mouth. "I need to talk to-"_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own Fruits Basket.

A/N: And I present for your viewing pleasure...

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Tohru marched into school with determination. She would tell him. She would tell that boy how she felt. Uo and Hana gave her words of encouragement as they walked into the building. Now all she had to do was find him. It shouldn't be too hard, right?

Eventually they spotted a group of Sohma boys down the hallway. Haru was leaning against the lockers looking bored. Yuki and Kyo seemed to be in a heated discussion. Immediately, her insides liquefied and her knees felt very weak. Stupid feelings.

"Go on," Uo encouraged, pushing her gently. "Tell him and then we'll meet you in class." She smiled as Tohru stumbled her way forward, the girl's entire face alight at the thought of what she was going to do. What would he say? Did he maybe like her too?

…_doesn't belong to you… _

She smiled at the thought and attempted to muster up her courage, not noticing as Uo and Hana slowly left her to her own devices. But as she got closer, Yuki and Kyo still didn't seem to notice her. They were too caught up in their little debate. She began to falter. Haru noticed and eyed her with interest. Why was Tohru stalking up on them like this was a life or death situation? And why was she looking at _him_ so intently? It was like _he_ was the sole focus of her world.

Tohru suddenly looked very nervous and very ill. Haru could almost hear her heart fluttering. The gears in his mind slowly clicked. She opened her mouth. "I need to talk to-"

"Tohru-chaaaaan!"

And her words were cut off as a sudden streak of blonde hair come flying towards the girl. Kyo and Yuki both looked up at the sound of her name.

"Honda-san!"

"Tohru!"

She paled visibly as _his_ eyes turned towards her. And then, quite suddenly, the tiny rabbit was dancing before her. "Tohru-chan! Tohru-chan! Where have you been? I came over to Shigure's house last night looking for you!"

Tohru gulped, looking from the tiny German and back to the object of her determination. _He_ was gazing at her quite intently. She flushed. "Eheh…"

"Honda-san, how was the slumber party?" Yuki finally asked.

Tohru couldn't seem to find the words to speak. Once again, in _his_ presence words escaped her mind. "I…well…cookies…" Ah, if only she could put together a coherent thought!

_He_ chuckled as she stumbled over her words. Her face turned bright red. This was so embarrassing. Think, Tohru, think! Stop looking at his brilliant smile. Say something witty. Something clever. Anything!

Kyo bopped her on the head. "C'mon, spit it out!"

She wanted to. She really did. It was just so hard to think and she was quite sure she had the goofiest grin on her face. Haru was starting to look at her suspiciously as well. Did he suspect? Was she being so obvious?

Momiji waved his hand in front of Tohru's face. "Helloooo? Tohru? Slumber party?"

This seemed to knock her out of her stupor. "What? Slumber party? Ah, hai! It was lots of fun. I enjoyed myself very much."

Momiji laughed, "Tohru's silly!"

She sweatdropped. "Really, Momiji-kun…"

The blonde-haired boy suddenly grabbed her hand. Tohru looked down at their intertwined fingers. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Not to mention, _he_ was looking at the gesture too. Was it her imagination or did he look perturbed that she was holding hands with the small boy?

"Tohru," Momiji spoke, interrupting her thoughts. "Can I come over tonight? I miss seeing you."

Tohru felt her heart melt at the earnest look on his face. "Of course, Momiji-kun! You're always welcome."

"Yay!" the little bunny ran around. "It will be Momiji and Tohru's excellent slumber party! I'll bring movies!"

"Slumber party?"

The Prince and Orangey both responded quite vocally.

"NO WAY IN HELL!"

"Absolutely not."

Momiji stopped running and began to pout. "But Tohru said I could come!" he pointed out.

"You're not spending the night!" Kyo growled.

"Momiji," Haru reasoned. "I'm sure Tohru has homework and chores to do. I don't think spending the night would be the best idea. Besides, you should only be having slumber parties with other boys. Like Yuki, Kyo, or myself. Speaking of," he turned to look at Yuki, "my dearest, would you care to slumber with _me_ tonight?"

Yuki narrowed his eyes while Kyo made gagging noises in the background. "No."

"Someday you'll say yes to me."

"That day will never come."

Haru stared blankly. Momiji looked up at Tohru. "So no sleep over?" he questioned sadly.

Tohru looked thoughtful. "Well…I do have a lot of homework, but you can come over for dinner!"

"Yaaaay!"

Tohru laughed. As the bell rang for class, she realized that she was both grateful and slightly frustrated at Momiji's appearance. It delayed her sudden determination at telling _him_ that she liked him. At the same time, she felt that to tell him now was much too soon.

She watched _him_ as he entered the classroom ahead of her. Some girls tried to talk to him as he found his desk to sit down. Tohru found herself wishing she could be as bold as those girls. They made it look so easy, throwing themselves at him. At the same time, he didn't appear interested in any of them on a more romantic scale. Would he be like that with her too? She gulped. She didn't want to think about it. She shook the ill thoughts from her head as the teacher walked into the room to begin that morning's lesson.

**~0~0~**

At the lunch break, Uo and Hana assaulted her. "Did you tell him?" Uo asked excitedly. Tohru shook her head, causing Uo's smile to fade. "What happened?"

"Momiji-kun," Tohru began. "He…interrupted."

Uo's frown deepened. "That kid. I liked him until now."

Tohru looked horrified at the thought that anyone could dislike the boy. "No, Uo-chan! He didn't know what he was doing. Please don't blame him for this!"

Uo laughed slightly. "Calm down, Tohru. I was just joking. I still like Momiji. I'm just annoyed that he's elongating the suspense of what _he'll_ say."

"What who will say?"

The three girls looked up as Kyo Sohma began to sit down next to them. Tohru's eyes widened in surprise. "K-Kyo-kun?" she squeaked. "Why aren't you on the roof?"

Kyo looked annoyed. "Because that stupid cow is up there and wants to challenge me to a fight. I don't have the time to waste pounding his stupid ass," he grumbled.

"So you decided to spend some quality time with us?" Uo cooed. "How cute."

"Shut up! I just wanted to eat my lunch in peace."

"Now, now, Carrot Top. No need to bite my head off."

"Maybe if you weren't so goddamn annoying."

Tohru sweatdropped. There never seemed to be an end to their bickering. "Please don't fight," she pleaded.

Kyo looked like he really wanted to say something, but then decided against it. Instead he took a bite of his salmon onigiri and chewed thoughtfully. "So what were you guys talking about before?"

Tohru paled and looked frantically at Arisa and Hana. "Um…" she was sweating bullets. "You see…"

"Girl stuff," Hanajima supplied suddenly. Kyo raised an eyebrow. Tohru looked relieved. "Not to be heard by male ears."

Kyo glanced at Tohru who flushed bright red and immediately busied herself in eating her yakisoba. "Whatever." He didn't really want to bring up something that made Tohru so uncomfortable. "I don't care."

Tohru sighed gratefully. After a few moments of eating in silence, she attempted conversation and blurted out the first thing she could think of. "Where's Yuki-kun?" she questioned. The orange-headed boy scowled and she realized her mistake. That was _definitely _the wrong thing to ask Kyo-kun. "Ah…ano…I mean…" She looked around nervously.

Kyo caught her nervous glances and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why do you care what that rat-boy is up to?"

Tohru gulped at the look he shot her. "I…I…"

…_doesn't belong to you…_

"Good job, moron. Way to bite her head off!" Uo yelled at Kyo.

"Hai. Tohru-chan deserves more respect than that."

Kyo's mouth fell open. "Wha? No! It wasn't like that! I didn't mean-" he stopped as he looked at Tohru wildly. "I just…it caught me off-guard. You know I can't stand that guy."

Tohru shook her head vigorously. "No, really, Kyo-kun. It's my fault. I should have known. I'm really sorry!"

"Don't blame yourself. Kyonkichi just doesn't know how to act around women," Uo stuck her tongue out.

"He can't be a perfect gentleman like Sohma-kun," Hanajima reasoned.

"Stop insulting me! I'm right here!"

"Sohma-kun?" a new voice entered the conversation. His voice was soft and smooth. "I hope you weren't talking about me." Everyone looked up to see Yuki's frowning face.

Tohru almost fell out of her chair. Kyo whipped around. "How the hell do you sneak up on someone like that?"

Yuki looked disapprovingly at the Cat. "I did not sneak up. _You_ just have terrible hearing." He leaned forward to look past Kyo's angry scowl at Tohru and the others. "Did you need something?"

Tohru gaped wordlessly.

"Come on, Tohru," Uo whispered, nudging her. "Say something."

Instead Tohru's face lit up as the two Sohma boys looked at her.

…_doesn't belong to you…_

_I _want_ to be with you._

RIIIIIIIIIIING!

"Class! Gotta go! Bye!"

Hanajima sighed, "I feel like this is going to take awhile."

**~0~0~**

Momiji was helping Tohru make dinner that night. She already had stew bubbling away on the stovetop so they were making onigiri for snacks later.

"Look, Tohru!" Momiji laughed excitedly as he held out a dog-shaped onigiri. "Shigure-san!" Tohru laughed and quickly made some modifications to her own onigiri. She held it out and Momiji's blue eyes danced with glee. "A bunny!"

The two laughed as they continued working on their riceballs, which were quickly becoming small works of art. "A cow!" "The horse!" "Tiger!" "Snake!" The entire zodiac was rapidly appearing.

"Ok, Tohru!" Momiji bounced up and down. "Who do you want to make? Yuki or Kyo?"

Tohru suddenly stopped in her ministrations. "Eh?"

Momiji laughed like she hadn't heard. "Yuki or Kyo?" he asked again, interest in his eyes.

All the thoughts that had been running through her head all day came back to her in a rush. _His_ smile. _His_ voice. Girls throwing themselves at him.

…_doesn't belong to you…_

_Why do you care what that rat-boy is up to?_

_You know you have to tell him_.

She dropped her onigiri. She'd tried her best to avoid this topic all day. Why was she thinking about it now? Why now when she was trying to enjoy her time with Momiji?

"Tohru?" the Rabbit looked worried. "Tohru, are you alright?"

"Huh?" she snapped out of it and realized what had happened. "Ah, gomen! Gomen! I'm fine. Just thinking." She smiled too brightly as she picked up her onigiri and began shaping it again. She rambled as her hands moved without thinking. "How are your classes, Momiji-kun? I'm so happy the weather's been nice…"

Momiji forced a smile as she continued on and on. Did she even notice she hadn't answered his question? He watched as her hands flew as she completed her onigiri.

"I'm home!" _his_ voice suddenly announced. Tohru dropped the onigiri again.

"O-Okaeri!" she responded, her voice shaking. This shouldn't be happening. These feelings shouldn't be here.

…_you have to tell him_.

"Tohru?" Momiji asked uncertainly.

She stared at the kitchen door with determination. She had to. She had to stop thinking like this all the time. Momiji watched as she slowly untied her apron. "Excuse me one moment. I'll be right back." She swept herself from the room before her courage failed.

Momiji looked at the shape of her fallen riceball and the puzzle pieces fell together – her stammering, the looks, the dazed expression. All the strange ways she'd been acting the past week suddenly made sense. He had suspected all along but hadn't known if it were true. "Tohru…" Momiji whispered and blue eyes turned sad. So _this_ was who Tohru wanted to be with.

**~0~0~**

Tohru walked into the room. "Dinner is almost ready! You must be so hungry!" _He_ looked up at her and his face broke into a brilliant smile.

That smile caused her world to stop. Her breath hitched as his eyes bore into hers. Thousands of butterflies danced in her stomach and she tried to remember how to breathe. Staring at him was total and complete bliss. She watched as his eyebrows suddenly furrowed in concern.

"Are you alright? You look kind of warm."

Warm indeed. She felt like her face was on fire! Then, slowly, she gathered her courage. "I need to tell you something."

He looked more worried than curious. "Did something happen? Is everything alright?" he questioned rapidly.

"I-" she paused. Could she really do this? Was she ready? One look at him and she knew. Yes. "I really li-"

CRASH!

"Tohru!"

The girl's eyes widened. "Momiji-kun!" She turned and fled into the kitchen. Stew was splattered all over the countertops and the floor. The empty stewpot lay overturned on the ground. Momiji looked like he was about to cry. "Momiji-kun, what happened?" Tohru asked frantically.

"I'm so sorry, Tohru! I tried taking the pot off the stove but I didn't realize it was so hot." Pain shot across his young face as Tohru registered his words.

Yuki and Kyo ran in as Tohru began scuttling around Momiji like a mother hen. "Quick, let's get your hands under cold water. Someone call Hatori-san." Kyo and Yuki just looked at each other, not knowing what to do. "Hurry!" her voice shouted and both boys made a beeline for the phone.

**~0~0~**

Hatori arrived with take-out (Shigure's idea when he heard that dinner was ruined) just as the three kids minus Momiji were finished cleaning the kitchen. "Hatori!" Shigure launched himself at the man.

"Don't touch me," the doctor warned.

Shigure grabbed the food and pouted. "Haa-san can be so cruel!"

"I bring you food and this is how you act?" Hatori sighed at Shigure's ungratefulness. "Typical. Now where's Momiji?"

"Right here," the boy mumbled as Tohru walked him over. She had refused to leave his side like an overprotective mother.

"Momiji, you should be more careful," Hatori scolded, gingerly taking the boy's hands into his for closer inspection. "These look horrible."

"Will Momiji-kun be alright?" Tohru asked quietly. She was so worried. She felt like it was her fault for leaving him in the kitchen by himself.

"He'll be fine," Hatori slathered some ointment on Momiji's red palms and began to bandage them. "They haven't blistered so he'll be good in a couple days."

Tohru looked immensely relieved and Momiji managed a weak smile. Her stomach suddenly growled loudly. She blushed in embarrassment. "Ah…"

"You should go eat, Honda-san," Hatori spoke. "I need to finish Momiji's bandages and then I'm taking him home."

As if on cue, Shigure's voice sounded from the dining area. "You better come eat before the boys eat all your food!" His statement was followed by two short 'whaps.' "Itai…"

Tohru still looked uncertain. Momiji smiled to make her feel better. "Just go, Tohru. I'll be ok! Hatori's taking care of me."

Tohru frowned, "Ok…but only because you say so." Momiji's ears turned red but Tohru didn't notice. "I'll grab you some food."

She walked into the dining area to see the two boys and Shigure eating from their bento boxes. "I'm sorry about dinner," she started to apologize.

Yuki shook his head. "It's not your fault, Honda-san. Accidents happen."

"But I really should have-"

"Stop apologizing and just eat!"

Tohru shut her mouth abruptly at Kyo's command. "H-Hai!"

"Dammit. You don't have to be so complacent."

"H-Hai!"

Yuki glared at Kyo in disdain. "Will you quit harassing her? Stupid cat."

"I wasn't harassing!"

And thus another argument began in the Sohma household. Hatori sighed from the other room as objects began flying. Those two were never going to grow out of it.

**~0~0~**

At the end of the night, Tohru was picking up discarded bento boxes from the table. She smiled as she remembered the evening's events. Yuki had once again beaten Kyo and the poor boy had been knocked unconscious. He was now sulking on the roof at his defeat.

Yuki and Tohru had instead chatted pleasantly throughout the rest of the dinner, and Shigure sobbed in the corner once more about his "broken" house. Then there was _that_ incident. Tohru blushed upon remembering. Yuki had handed her a bento box and their fingers brushed up against each other. He had quickly retracted at the sudden touch and looked away quickly.

"Sorry," he mumbled, cheeks developing a beautiful red stain.

Tohru's face lit up too as her fingers tingled at the loss of contact. "Hm," she acknowledged his apology and they both went back to eating quietly. They had departed on an awkward note and now he was upstairs doing his homework.

Then there was Momiji. Spending time with him had been nice. Especially since both Kyo and Yuki had come home late so the boy had kept her pleasant company (Yuki stayed behind for his president duties and Kyo had gone to train at the dojo). She was sad at the way things had turned out with the whole stew escapade, but ultimately she was happy that Momiji was ok.

She moved to the kitchen to throw away the last remnants of dinner and spotted the thirteen little onigiris that she and Momiji had made. They could probably be salvaged and used for lunch tomorrow. She pulled out a container and began placing them inside.

She smiled tenderly as she reached to pick up the last of the riceballs. It was slightly indented from when she had dropped it. It was supposed to be _him_, but his face looked all lopsided now, probably from the two falls. Except…the ears looked longer now than she had thought. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why did that look so familiar?

"Do you need any help?"

Tohru whipped around. Searing cinnamon amber eyes locked with hers. She dropped the onigiri for the third time that day.

Kyo stared as the riceball hit the floor. "Is-Is that a bunny?" he looked up in confusion.

Tohru shook her head desperately. "N-no," she sounded flustered. It was supposed to be _him_. The one she liked. But how could she admit that to him? She could barely breathe.

Thoughts. Too many thoughts. Running through her head.

_You know you have to tell him._

_Why do you care what that rat-boy is up to?_

…_doesn't belong to you._

She stared into his crimson eyes and drew in a shaky breath.

"It's a cat."

**~0~0~**

* * *

A/N: What did you think? As always, please review!**  
**

**Preview next chapter:**

_The silver-haired boy continued to stare very adamantly at the ground. "I won't be able to walk you home from work tonight," his quiet voice broke through the silence. "I have student council duties. That's what I came over to tell you."_

_Tohru's mouth shaped into an 'O.' She tried smiling to make him feel better. "It's ok, Yuki-kun. I know you're a busy person," she spoke happily._

_"Yeah," he said bitterly. He looked up at her once more before his eyes flicked to the side. "Kyo will pick you up instead."_

_Tohru's heart stopped beating. "K-Kyo-kun?" she froze. "Kyo-kun will…walk me home?"_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

"You told him?" Uo's eyes lit up with glee. Even Hana smiled.

Tohru blushed. She had been retelling the story of the previous night but had only gotten as far as when _he _had come home for the evening (she dared not use his name at school, being still paranoid about other people overhearing). "N-No."

"Whaaaat?"

"Momiji-kun had an accident in the kitchen! I had to go help him," Tohru explained quickly. She cast her eyes downward. "And then I got too scared later…"

Uotani looked annoyed. "That kid interrupted again! Oh of all the-"

Hanajima sipped her juice box rather loudly. "Really, Arisa, you are too invested in Tohru's affairs," she paused as she took another huge sip. She seemed contemplative. Something about this Momiji situation put her off. There was something _different_ about that boy. Not in an ominous way. Just…off. She'd best not say anything to Tohru. The girl was already overheating anytime _he_ was in the area.

Uo sighed loudly. "C'mon! I'm _so_ ready for you to spill. Pleeeaaaase? Before Momiji ruins another chance to tell him of your undying love and devotion."

"It's just a crush." Tohru managed her best glare. It was almost amusing. She just couldn't look menacing if she tried. "He's not ruining my chances. I will tell him!"

"Tell who what?"

Tohru whipped her head around. Yuki stood before them. "Uh…" Uo and Hana just looked at each other, neither still knowing exactly which boy their friend liked. Well, Uo didn't. She had the sneaking suspicion that Hana had known all along. Something about waves meshing pleasantly…

"Tell…Momiji that I hope he gets better soon!" Tohru nodded with enthusiasm. She had successfully thought of something on the spot. Her mother would be so proud!

Yuki tilted his head in confusion. "But you already called him this morning about that. Did you forget?"

Tohru's eyes widened. Arisa snickered. "I-I just wanted to tell him again!" she reasoned frantically. "To speed up the recovery!"

Yuki stared at her with something like admiration. His dark eyes warmed into puddles of violet. "You would do something like that, Honda-san," he murmured thoughtfully.

"Eh?" she could feel the blush rising on her face at Yuki's intense gaze. They locked eyes for just a moment before he averted his quickly to the floor. She hoped this wouldn't be a repeat of that awkward parting the night before.

The silver-haired boy continued to stare very adamantly at the ground. "I won't be able to walk you home from work tonight," his quiet voice broke through the silence. "I have student council duties. That's what I came over to tell you."

Tohru's mouth shaped into an 'O.' She tried smiling to make him feel better. "It's ok, Yuki-kun. I know you're a busy person," she spoke happily.

"Yeah," he said bitterly. He looked up at her once more before his eyes flicked to the side. "Kyo will pick you up instead."

Tohru's heart stopped beating. "K-Kyo-kun?" she froze. "Kyo-kun will…walk me home?"

_Why do you care what that rat-boy is up to?_

_You know you have to tell him._

…_doesn't belong to you…_

"Yes," Yuki glared. He paused at the look on Tohru's face. She seemed so very distracted…and horrified. Was it his imagination or was her face turning blue?

"Breathe, Tohru," Hanajima reminded. Tohru sucked in a huge gulp of air and the color returned to her face.

She laughed and bopped herself on the head. "Haha, silly me. Apparently I can't multi-task."

Uo and Hana sweatdropped, but Yuki just continued to stare at her in concern. That look she'd had on her face, he thought he'd seen it before. In fact, she had seemed flustered and distracted all week. "Honda-san?" he frowned. He wanted to ask her about it. He'd had his suspicions. But maybe now wasn't the best time to bring it up. He filed the information away to confront her later tonight.

"Yes, Yuki-kun?" she returned looking up with wide eyes.

He reached out to gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Tohru's face flamed a brilliant red. The Yuki fan club would have thrown a fit if they saw their Prince acting so intimately with someone. "Take care, alright?"

Tohru just smiled brightly. "I will do my best!"

The Prince smiled softly at the action. He spoke parting words to the three girls and began to walk away, his smile slowly fading to a frown. If his suspicions were correct…

He shook his head. No. It couldn't be. Maybe he was reading into this too deeply. But if he was correct, then everything would make sense – the looks, the blushing, seeming preoccupied. These were such obvious signs! How had he not noticed them before? And then when he'd mentioned that stupid Cat's name…

Yuki scowled deeply. It only made sense. She'd always had a soft spot for him. But that didn't make the realization any easier.

_She doesn't belong to you!_

The look in her eyes. Her shortness of breath…

When he'd yelled that statement, really, he was just trying to convince himself.

**~0~0~**

Tohru was hyperventilating after school. She was on her way to work and already thinking about the walk home later that evening. Her heart raced. Gah! What would she do? Ever since she'd realized her feelings, she'd never had the chance to be alone with him for such a long amount of time. Would it be the proper time to tell him? She didn't know! Her eyes swirled.

And then suddenly she heard giggling. She slowed down her pace. Why did it sound so familiar? She looked around but didn't see anyone. Odd. She was sure she had heard someone laughing. She began walking faster. No need to get herself spooked now.

The giggling began again. Tohru whipped her head around, eyes scanning the surrounding area. Trees lined the right side of the sidewalk. She was walking past the park. In the distance she could see the playground where she'd taken Kisa and Hiro once before, but no one was there now. In fact, no one was anywhere as far as she could see. Oh kami, she must be losing it.

She turned around once more. A small boy with messy, brown hair and a severe look on his face frowned up at her. "Hey."

"GAAAAHHHH!" Tohru flailed her arms and fell over backward.

Hiro sighed as she landed on her bum. "Idiot."

Kisa suddenly made her emergence from her hiding spot behind the trees. "Onee-chan!" she shouted worriedly as she raced to Tohru's landing spot. "Onee-chan! Are you alright?"

Tohru rubbed her head and winced slightly. "H-Hai."

"I'm so sorry, Onee-chan! We were just hiding. We didn't mean to scare you!" Kisa looked like she was about to weep.

Tohru noticed the girl's watery eyes. "Oh, Kisa!" she cried, throwing her arms up and around the small girl's shoulders.

"I didn't mean to hurt Onee-chan!" the girl wailed.

Hiro would have rolled his eyes, but he was too alarmed when Kisa suddenly burst into a round of tears. Instead he was quite frantic. "Kisa, stop!" He didn't know how to deal with crying girls, especially when it was someone like Kisa. He'd do anything to get her to stop. "Look! Tohru's alright. See, she's just fine." He shot Tohru a look clearly indicating that she better act fine, even if she wasn't.

Tohru, of course, just smiled, completely missing the threatening gaze. "Hiro's right, Kisa-chan. I'm perfectly fine," she laughed and held Kisa a little tighter. The tiny girl sobbed gently. "Shh, don't cry. I'm alright."

The girl sniffed gently. "Really?" she pulled back and stared up at Tohru's face with wide eyes. Her caramel eyes shimmered. "You're fine, Onee-chan?"

Tohru smiled. "Never been better!"

"Oh, Onee-chan!" the girl flung herself against Tohru. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Kisa-chan!" Tohru cried back, both girls now sobbing in each other's embrace.

Hiro looked disgusted with himself. "I don't know why I even try," he muttered.

Footsteps resounded against the sidewalk and Hiro suddenly straightened up. His face looked like that of a child who had just been caught doing something wrong. And he probably had. Tohru and Kisa were so caught up in their reunion that they didn't notice anything. "I leave you two alone for two seconds and you wind up all the way over here?" a girl's voice sighed dramatically. "What am I going to do with you?"

The new girl suddenly noticed Tohru for the first time. "Tohru-chan!" she uttered in surprise. An orange kitty backpack hit the ground.

Tohru looked up, eyes still slightly puffy from her sob with Kisa. "Kagura-chan!" her eyes widened. Tohru disentangled herself from Kisa's embrace and stood up, arms flying wide to give Kagura a hug. "It's been such a long time!"

Kagura laughed as the two friends pulled away. "What are you doing over here?"

"I'm on my way to work," Tohru smiled in response. "And then I ran into Kisa-chan and Hiro-kun!"

Kagura put a finger to her mouth and looked thoughtful. "So that's why…" she murmured. She straightened up and grinned. "I'm watching Kisa and Hiro today. But I turned around for just one moment and suddenly they were gone!"

Kisa tugged on Kagura's sleeve. "It's my fault," the tiny girl admitted quietly. "I saw Onee-chan walking past and I wanted to surprise her."

Kagura frowned slightly. "Next time, just let me know, ok?"

Meanwhile, Tohru just looked at the tiny girl with shimmering eyes. "Oh, Kisa!" she cried, throwing her arms around the girl again.

"Onee-chan!"

"You are so cute!"

Hiro cleared his throat loudly. He knew seeing Tohru always made Kisa happy, but it was absolutely ridiculous how they acted around each other. Tohru was almost a grown woman for heaven sake!

"Kisa!" the boy blurted out.

The girl turned to look at her friend. "Yes, Hiro?"

"Please? We're in public," his eyes pleaded. He wanted Tohru to go away. She always took his time away from Kisa. He wouldn't have even agreed to "surprise" the girl if Kisa hadn't looked so excited about the stupid thing. "And Tohru has to go to work."

"That's right, Hiro-kun!" Tohru nodded, standing up again. "Hiro-kun is so smart!"

Hiro rolled his eyes. Typical. That girl was always so bubbly and airheaded.

"Oh, Kagura-chan, your bag…" Kisa ran over to pick up the orange kitty backpack from where Kagura had dropped it. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Kisa-chan." Kagura smiled as the tiny girl handed over the backpack. She slung it over her shoulder lovingly. "I wouldn't want to lose him."

Tohru froze at the gesture and at Kagura's words. How stupid was she to forget that Kagura already liked Kyo-kun? Her heart pounded in her ears. She remembered how happy she'd been when she first heard that Kyo had someone that liked him. She remembered meeting Kagura and loving the soft looks the girl would send the carrot top when she thought he wasn't looking. At the time it had seemed so _endearing_. Now she felt like her heart was being squeezed. She had admired Kagura, even going so far as to tell her that she hoped that someday she too would find someone to care for so greatly. Now she had. But instead of feeling joy, her stomach clenched at the irony.

"Hey, idiot girl," Hiro waved a hand in front of her face. "Don't you have work to go to?"

Tohru snapped out of it. "Uh, hai!" she responded quickly. She looked over at Kagura's face tilted in question and Kisa's looking up at her with worry. "Hiro's right. I have to go! I'll see you all later!"

"Hai, Tohru-kun. We'll see you tomorrow," Kagura grinned. "Shigure said we could come over for dinner. I'm baking a delicious spread for my Kyo-kun!" She squealed in delight.

Tohru's smile faltered. "Oh, good…" she heard herself to say. She forced a smile back on her face. "I'm so glad!"

"Hai, I haven't seen him in a while so I want this to be special," Kagura fingered the hem of her skirt as a blush worked its way across her face. Tohru's heart twisted. She felt like she was betraying her friend by liking the same guy. She gulped. Kagura just smiled brightly. "Alright, Tohru-chan! I'll see you! Jaa ne!"

Kagura flounced away with Hiro and Kisa in tow. Tohru stood staring after the three, her eyes focusing on the orange kitty backpack bouncing gently on Kagura's back. Her chocolate eyes saddened. She had been so focused on her own feelings. How could she forget about Kagura?

…_doesn't belong to you…_

_I wouldn't want to lose him._

…my_ Kyo-kun_.

Not hers. Never hers. He already had someone that cared for him. Someone that _loved_ him. That was more than she could offer. She just had a _crush_. A simple, silly, stupid crush. And she wouldn't let it go any further. It was time to end this nonsense.

In the distance, blue eyes watched the girl as she sank to the ground, long hair falling around her face as her shoulders became wracked with gentle sobs.

**~0~0~**

Tohru raced around work, trying her best to keep herself busy so she wouldn't think about certain _things_. Ok, really just a certain person. And a certain event that was due to happen very soon. Too soon in her opinion.

"Alright, Honda-san," her manager said. "You're done for the day."

Doom.

That's what the end of the work day meant. Because she couldn't avoid it any longer. She had to go see him. She glanced outside the window and saw a mess of orange hair over by the sidewalk. She gulped. Kami-sama, how was she ever going to act normal around him?

She turned back around. "A-Are you sure you don't need me to do anything else?" she offered desperately.

The manager just looked at her. He shook his head and chuckled. "Honda-san, you work so hard for a high school student. Just take a break. Punch out for the day."

Tohru nodded and with a great air of heaviness, left the room. She walked as slowly as she could to the employee locker room and took her time changing. Finally, she was all dressed and she couldn't think of anything else to do. She really shouldn't be keeping Kyo-kun waiting so long.

She still couldn't fathom how she had completely forgotten about Kagura. It was a good thing Momiji had delayed her attempts to tell him. She shuddered at how carefree and selfish she must have acted this week. How could she possibly attempt to claim a guy that her friend already liked? No, wait. _Loved_.

She shrugged on a light jacket and stepped outside into the crisp, autumn air.

"Finally!" she heard his voice yell. "I was starting to wonder if they were keeping you late."

Tohru looked up and saw him wholly and truly for the first time that day. His mouth was crooked up into a half-smile, his clothes were loose and baggy, and his hair was messed up from training at the doujo. Her mouth broke into a huge grin against her will. Stupid crush.

"Kyo-kun," she breathed. His hands were buried deep in his pockets as he walked over. She felt her heart swell as he came to stand beside her.

"Ready to go home?" he asked. Tohru looked up at him. Orange bangs covered smoldering eyes. It took her breath away. She nodded dumbfounded. How could one person possibly make her feel this way? He tilted his head to the side and frowned. "You ok? You look a little pale."

Tohru's hands flew to her face. "I do?" she asked quickly, sounding both flustered and confused. "I feel fine."

"Hm, must just be the lighting," he reasoned.

The two began walking home in a peaceful silence. She felt Kyo's gaze on her as they ended the first block. It was slightly unnerving. Was there something going on? Why was he staring?

"There's something wrong with you," he suddenly said. Tohru froze in her tracks.

"N-Nani?" She spun around and came face to face with the carrot top, her eyes wide. Oh gosh. He was standing so close to her! Why was he so close to her? "What do you-"

"Eh, no, sorry!" he interrupted, hoping he hadn't offended her by his first statement. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I didn't mean in a bad way." _Close. Still too close._ Tohru's mind raced at their proximity. He took in her wide chocolate eyes and stared at her in concern. "You're just…not as talkative as you usually are. It's weird. You've barely said a word since I picked you up."

Tohru felt herself blush. There really wasn't much she could say when _he_ was around. It was one of the disadvantages of this crush business. Then again, she couldn't very well tell him that either. She struggled for an answer. "Gomen, Kyo-kun," she apologized briefly. "I guess I don't have anything to say."

Now _that_ definitely seemed out of character for her. "What?" He stared in disbelief.

Tohru could feel her face heating up. "Um…I…"

Suddenly a cool hand touched her flushed skin. Kyo-kun had placed the back of his hand against her forehead and was staring at her with an intense look in his cinnamon eyes. She openly gaped. "You feel warm," he said quietly. "Do you want Hatori to look at you?"

Tohru didn't nod. Tohru didn't move. She was frozen. Absolutely frozen at their close proximity. He was standing so close she could feel the heat emanating off his chest and his wonderful scent filled her nose. How odd. She'd never noticed how pleasant he smelled before.

"Tohru-chaaaan!"

Tohru winced at the loss of contact as Kyo quickly withdrew his hand. He suddenly seemed very far from her and it hurt. She turned towards the sound of running feet as the carrier of the voice appeared and she slowly snapped out of her stupor.

Blue eyes looked up at her as the small boy shot a dashing grin. "Tohru-chan! I was looking all over for you! I was wondering if you needed anyone to walk you home."

Tohru looked at the blonde and blinked. What? There was something wrong with him being here. "Momiji-kun!" she exclaimed, staring at him. He looked startled at her tone of voice. "What are you doing out here? What about your hands?"

Momiji had the grace to look embarrassed. "I snuck out of Hatori's care," he explained nervously. "I heard Yuki-kun was busy and couldn't walk you home. So I came to see if you needed anyone. But I see you already have Kyo."

"Ah…" Tohru's voice stuck. She glanced at the carrot top who seemed slightly annoyed by the blonde's appearance.

…_already have Kyo._

…_doesn't belong to you…_

_I wouldn't want to lose him._

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" Momiji suddenly asked. He appeared almost…_frightened_ to hear her answer.

"No…" Tohru answered slowly and watched as Momiji's eyes lightened considerably. He looked immensely relieved.

Kyo's voice drew her from her thoughts. "Tohru, if you're getting sick we should get you home and call Hatori." Wait. Sick? Why would he think-

Momiji went off. "Tohru! You're sick! Why didn't you tell me? Why did you go to work? You shouldn't cook dinner tonight!" The boy carried on and on.

Kyo rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go." He grabbed Tohru's hand and tugged to get her moving. Even though the contact was very brief and fleeting, the brunette flushed beautifully the entire way home. Her appearance confirmed Kyo's statement that she was, without a doubt, very feverish and ill.

Even Momiji kept shooting her worried looks. He even went so far as to offer to carry her messenger bag. Tohru repeatedly decline the offer.

The fuss made at home was nonsense too. Momiji absolutely insisted that Hatori be called, and Yuki and Kyo made a huge hassle of who would cook her leek soup. In the end, Yuki's severe lack of cooking skills trumped all and the Prince resigned himself to waiting patiently by Tohru's side.

"I feel absolutely fine!" Tohru protested again.

Yuki sighed. It was true. The girl looked perfectly healthy albeit distressed at her current predicament. But then again, Tohru was known for pushing herself too hard.

"Your soup is ready!" Momiji cried as he came up the stairs, almost sloshing the soup in his haste to get to Tohru.

"Kyonkichi says it's made with _looooove_!" Shigure sang from downstairs.

"SHUT IT, YOU DAMN DOG!"

Tohru's face flamed brilliant red as Momiji set the soup down next to her. That's right. _Kyo_ made the soup tonight. It was just like the last time he took care of her.

Yuki did not miss the blush on her face. "Wow, Tohru! You still look really warm." Apparently Momiji didn't either.

Naturally, she blushed even deeper at being caught. "I-I'm perfectly fine," she stammered. She'd be perfectly fine when this crush business was over! How come liking Kyo-kun was so difficult? Why did her heart have to pound whenever he was in the vicinity? How come his presence caused her to be in a constant state of blush? Maybe she really was sick, because she knew she couldn't have him. He already had someone. Kagura. Perhaps she needed to convince her body of this truth.

"Tohru?" Hatori's voice called from the door. Beyond she could see the flash of orange hair that marked a curious Kyo. She vaguely wondered if curiosity was in his nature as the cat. Hatori entered the room. "Shigure said you didn't feel well."

Tohru shook her head. "No, Hatori-san! I feel fine. I'm sorry everyone called you over here."

"Stop apologizing. You look ill and you feel feverish." Kyo plopped onto the floor. Ah, yes. With _him_ here Hatori would now see the blush in full force. Great…

"Hm." Tohru felt his scrutinizing gaze on her face. She could feel Momiji and Yuki also watching her expectantly. It was like everyone was waiting for something. But what was it? Kyo was also watching her in concern. It made it very hard to concentrate on anything else. "I'll need to examine Tohru alone. The rest of you should leave."

"Awww, Hatori…"

"Momiji, you're already in enough trouble for sneaking out today. I suggest you follow Yuki downstairs."

The blonde whined some more as he followed the Prince downstairs. Kyo tried lingering too but was harshly shoved out by Hatori. Finally, it was just the two of them. Hatori closed the door and pulled up a chair next to Tohru's bed. He sat in silence for a while.

"I know you're not sick."

Tohru shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, h-hai, Hatori-san. I told them I felt fine, but they wouldn't listen."

Hatori sighed and began massaging his temples. "Tohru, I don't know how to say this…"

Oh gosh. Tohru's eyes widened. He _knew_.

"I don't want this!" she blurted out before he could say anything.

He stared at her. "You didn't know what I was going to say."

Tohru's face heated in embarrassment. "N-no. But I can guess. I'm sure you figured it out!"

Hatori allowed himself a chuckle. "Tohru, it's a wonder how no one has said anything. It seemed…shockingly obvious."

Tohru felt her ears burn. "I'm trying really hard to act normal around him. Truly I am!" she stated with conviction.

Hatori gave a grim smile. "I'm sure you do, Tohru-chan. But if Akito finds out about this…"

"I won't end up like Kana!" Tohru practically shouted. Hatori winced and Tohru's hand flew up to her mouth in horror. She knew she shouldn't have brought up that name. The expression on the doctor's face told her as much. She cast her gaze to the side. "I…it's only a crush."

Only a crush. How could such an insignificant thing be causing her so many problems?

Hatori breathed out in relief. "A crush?" he smiled weakly.

"Yes," Tohru muttered sullenly. "Like my stomach gets all tingly…and stuff." She could feel Hatori's intrigued gaze upon her, probing her to continue. "When he's around it's very difficult to concentrate. I stammer and blush a lot. He smiles and my world turns upside down. It's frustrating. I don't want this, Hatori! He already has someone who loves him!"

Hatori's face softened. "Tohru, there's nothing wrong with a crush."

She felt like crying. She _wanted_ someone to tell her this was wrong. She _needed _someone to tell her she had to change. Because every time she stared into his eyes, the world felt too perfect. She would forget about everything else and only recall the smile on his lips and the sound of blood pounding in her ears. She would forget about worries and about other people. It was already proven true when she forgot about Kagura.

"If there's nothing wrong with it, then why do I feel so horrible?"

Hatori didn't respond. She _needed_ his answer. She needed justification. She wanted a good, solid solution to get things back to normal.

"Have you told him?"

Tohru's mouth dropped. "But I told you someone else-"

"And we all know that 'someone else' has been very vocal in expressing her feelings for him," Hatori interrupted. Tohru opened her mouth to speak but Hatori raised his hand for silence. "Please, Tohru, there is nothing wrong with this if it is no more than a crush. The prospect of liking someone is completely harmless."

"But Kagura-"

"_Loves_ Kyo. Yes, so I've heard," Hatori agreed. He leaned forward so as to select his next words carefully. "But don't you think he deserves to know how _you_ feel? Tohru, obviously the thought of keeping this secret is putting you under a lot of stress. And _that_ is not healthy."

"I…" Tohru frowned. He didn't understand. "But Kagura is my friend."

"Then maybe you should tell her first."

She couldn't argue with that. Even if she told Kagura she "liked" Kyo, the older girl would still win the claim to him by default. Tohru's interest in Kyo barely compared to the amount of love the boar bestowed upon the cat. It was like comparing love to obsession.

"I don't know if I can," Tohru frowned miserably. There had to be another way. She didn't want people to get hurt. But she selfishly didn't want to lose Kyo either, which made the fear of telling him even worse. What _if_ she made him uncomfortable and he left? She felt a cry of panic rise in her throat like acrid bile.

"I'll let you figure out what you're able to do," Hatori said softly. He rose from his chair. An air of heaviness surrounded him. "I won't tell Akito about this."

"Thank you, Hatori-san," Tohru mumbled. Wow. Had she been so dense to forget about Akito as well? She didn't realize having a crush could have so many implications. It made the whole thing seem far more dangerous than its initial innocence.

"I will say one more thing though," Hatori's voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up as his hand wavered over the doorknob. "You're much too good for him."

"Whaaat?" Tohru's voice carried as Hatori opened the door.

Three young men rushed up the staircase. "What is it, Hatori? Is she ok?"

"Yes, I'm prescribing she get some sleep," Hatori replied to the bombardment of questions and to ease the troubled looks on boys' faces. "She knows who to talk to if she keeps feeling this way."

Tohru blushed bright red. Of course Hatori would be able to slide in some comment like that. And only she understood his true meaning.

"Come on, Momiji. Let's get you home."

"Awww, Hatori…"

Within minutes Hatori had skillfully shooed everyone away, leaving Tohru alone to her thoughts. How was she supposed to fix this? At least she didn't have to worry about Akito. That was one problem she hadn't even considered. But…Kagura was coming over tomorrow! And Kyo would be here. What was she going to do? How was she going to act normal?

Maybe Hatori was right. Maybe she should tell Kagura. They were friends after all, right? And it was only a crush.

_Only_ a crush.

If this was how all crushes were, she hoped to never get one again.

**~0~0~**

* * *

A/N: Hm, and somehow my story is becoming less fluffy than I intended. As always, please review! I love to hear your feedback.

**Preview next chapter:**

_The girl shivered as a gust of wind blew down the trail. A car ride would have been nice but it meant getting home quicker. And try as she might, she still felt like she wasn't ready to talk to Kagura about Kyo yet. What was she going to do? If she dawdled too long she would worry everyone in the house._

_She would just have to work up the courage. There was no other way. She started feeling sick again._

_"What are you doing out here?"_

_Tohru jumped at the voice. Oh gosh. No no no no! Not now. Why now? She recognized that voice immediately._

_"K-Kyo-kun!"_


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever. School is a pain. Please accept this chapter as my Xmas present to you. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My name is not Natsuki Takaya. Don't sue. :(

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Tohru seriously contemplated going home the next day after school. It was the day of Kagura's dinner, a perfect time to tell the Boar of her hopeless infatuation with the Cat. And since Kyo had gone to the doujo after school, there would be nothing to hinder her confrontation with the girl. Tohru immediately felt queasy.

What was the point of going home again?

"Honda-san, are you ready to go?" Yuki's smooth voice called from the end of the hall. The Yuki fan club swooned at their Prince's gentlemanly behavior, even if it was for someone as plain and ordinary as Tohru Honda. What was it with that girl? She seemed to have all the Sohmas under her spell. The Yuki fan club scowled at her approach.

"Hai, I'm ready, Yuki-kun," she responded. Her face looked pale and a thin sheen of sweat covered her skin.

Yuki dropped his bag at the sight. "Tohru!" he exclaimed, forgetting all honorifics and calling her by name. He pressed a cool hand against her cheek, nearly sending the on-looking Yuki fan club into an uproar. Tohru winced as his fingers brushed against her clammy skin. His purple eyes held deep concern. "What's the matter? I thought Hatori said you were fine."

She couldn't comprehend. The room was starting to spin. "Wha?" She turned unfocused eyes upon his handsome face. She didn't want to go home. She didn't want to face Kagura. She didn't want to face _him_. She swayed slightly.

Yuki held her steady. What was he supposed to do?! "I'll get you to the nurse's office immediately, Honda-san. And then I'll call Hatori."

Tohru clutched his shoulders for support as he tried his best to make their upper bodies not touch. They were still inside the school after all. "Th-Thank you, Yuki-kun," Tohru managed a weak smile. "It's just that I really…just really…don't want to…"

But the dizziness was too much and darkness overwhelmed her.

* * *

Tohru awoke in a strangely uncomfortable bed. She sat up quickly, causing the blood to rush to her head and spots to dance across her eyes. "Oh…" she swayed slightly and pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Honda-san?"

The voice was deep and calming. It seemed familiar. Tohru turned her unsteady eyes to the man sitting next to her bed in the nurse's office. "Hatori!" she exclaimed as the doctor lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Hatori responded curtly, indicating her present situation.

Tohru shifted uncomfortably. "Where's Yuki-kun?" That was the last thing she remembered, holding onto Yuki desperately as she slowly lost consciousness. Her eyes widened. "Oh gosh! He didn't transform, did he? Is that why you're here? Did you have to erase so many memories?"

"It was nothing like that," Hatori answered before the adorable brunette could worry further. "He had one of his friends help carry you to the nurse's office and then he phoned me. I arrived as soon as I could."

Tohru appeared confused. "Oh."

Hatori raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he frowned.

"It's just…why isn't Yuki here now?" Everything Hatori said had made sense. But why would Yuki just leave after all that? He didn't have any student council duties tonight and his garden was doing just fine. What reasons would he have for leaving?

"I made him leave," Hatori explained. "He argued with me for a good while about it too. I just thought that in case your fainting spell had something to do with a certain…issue…you might not want him around for the explanation."

Comprehension dawned on the girl's face and she turned bright red. "Ah," she squeaked slightly. "I see. Well, thank you, Hatori, but I should get going. I don't want to worry the others too long."

"Stop, Honda-san," the doctor ended her attempt to leave so rapidly. She sat down on the edge of her bed and tried not to look so nervous. She knew what he was going to ask and she wanted to avoid the memory at all cost. "As a doctor, I need to find out what brought on the dizzy spell. Do you have any recollection of when or why it started?"

Tohru stared at her feet. She didn't want this. She didn't want to remember.

…_doesn't belong to you…_

_I wouldn't want to lose him._

…my_ Kyo-kun._

"N-No," she tried lying. She was a horrible liar. The answer sounded false even to her own ears.

Hatori gave a quiet sigh. "Alright, then I'm going to go through standard procedure and ask you some questions. Did you eat lunch?"

"Yes."

"What did you have for lunch?" Hatori prompted.

"Udon and…and sweet pickles," Tohru continued to stare at a spot between her toes. She felt bad for making Hatori go through all of this. She knew exactly what made her feel faint.

"Anything else? Did you drink enough water?"

"I'm scared to confront Kagura!" she blurted out quickly. Wow. She really was too easy to crack.

Silence. Hatori opened his mouth.

"Tohru, what did this have to do with-"

"I got really nervous after school," Tohru explained rapidly. "I was so nervous I started feeling nauseous and then I got dizzy. Very dizzy, and then I guess…well…you know…"

Hatori rubbed his temples and then stared down into his clasped hands. "Tohru, I am very sorry," he provided at last.

The brunette gaped. "For…for what? Hatori, you didn't do any-"

"I've made you feel like you must confess your feelings. For that, I am sorry. I thought it would alleviate the stress you've been placing on yourself. But it seems that it has only made it worse."

Tohru floundered. What could she possibly say? Hatori _was_ only trying to help her. He hadn't done anything wrong.

"Gomen ne, Hatori-san, for making you feel that way." Tohru felt ashamed of herself. She had let this crush be blown out of proportion. It was time she stopped. "I…it was good advice. I'm just…don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Tohru smiled brightly up at the doctor. He shook his head. Her smile did not erase the worry and fear etched deep into her brown eyes. "Tohru…" he began.

"No, really!" the girl cut him off. "Please, Hatori-san, I will be perfectly fine."

* * *

It seemed like ages until Hatori finally agreed to let her go. It took even longer to convince him that she was well enough to walk home by herself.

"Really, Tohru, just let me drive you to Shigure's house. It's quicker," he had insisted.

"Walking is fine. I need the fresh air."

"What if you feel faint on the way home?"

"I'll stay to the busiest paths. And I'll call you when I get home."

"I'm calling Shigure to let him know you're on your way."

Tohru sighed deeply. She appreciated everything that Hatori had done for her, even going so far as to keep her secret about liking Kyo. She hadn't even had the chance to tell Uo and Hanajima yet.

The girl shivered as a gust of wind blew down the trail. A car ride would have been nice but it meant getting home quicker. And try as she might, she still felt like she wasn't ready to talk to Kagura about Kyo yet. What was she going to do? If she dawdled too long she would worry everyone in the house.

She would just have to work up the courage. There was no other way. She started feeling sick again.

"What are you doing out here?"

Tohru jumped at the voice. Oh gosh. No no no no! Not now. Why now? She recognized that voice immediately.

"K-Kyo-kun!"

"Tohru, I thought you didn't work today. Did that stupid Dog make you run errands again?" Kyo frowned as he walked up beside her. His backpack was slung across his back and his shoulders sagged slightly, most likely from a tough work-out at the doujo.

Tohru's face broke out into a smile against her will at the sight of him. "Shishou must have put you through a lot today. You look exhausted."

He rubbed the back of his head and gave a shy smile. "Yeah, I guess so. He's been working me extra hard the past couple lessons."

"But, Kyo-kun, you're already so good! Shishou couldn't be more proud of you!"

"Tohru…" Kyo's ears were turning red.

"Oh, I'm sorry! We should probably-"

Tohru's stomach growled very loudly.

Kyo's mouth quirked up in one corner. Amusement danced in his amber eyes. Tohru was embarrassed beyond belief. "Er…"

"Are you…hungry?" Kyo smirked.

"N-No!"

Another lie and very obvious. But hunger meant food. Food meant going home. Going home meant facing Kagura. Although now that she thought about it, she couldn't really do anything with Kyo in tow.

"Tohru," Kyo confessed. "You're a horrible liar. We could go grab something at the ramen stall down the street and bring food back for the others. You deserve a break from cooking all the time. What do you think?"

Kyo smiled and Tohru was lost. Her heart soared at the prospect of Kyo inviting her to do something as simple as getting ramen because it was an invitation to spend time with him alone. The thought was so lovely. What reasons did she have to say no? Oh yes. Right. Kagura was currently slaving away in the kitchen preparing dinner for him. And she needed to call Hatori soon before he started to worry. Hm, how could she forget such things? Blasted crush.

Tohru shook her head. "I'm sorry, Kyo-kun, but we shouldn't keep the others waiting."

Kyo sighed. "Fine, it was just an idea…"

"Oh no! It was a lovely idea! I was just worried-"

"Tohru, seriously. It's _fine_," he cut her off, though he did seem mildly put out. "I just was avoiding…never mind."

Now Tohru looked up in interest. "Eh?" He was avoiding something?

Tohru's mind race as his statement suddenly clicked. Wait! He wasn't supposed to know about Kagura's visit. Is that why he didn't want to come home right away? Is that why he went to train at the doujo after school? But Kagura would be so upset if Kyo didn't show up!

"No!" Tohru exclaimed. "You must go back to Shigure's house. Kagura-chan worked so hard for you!"

Kyo stopped in his tracks horrified. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!"

Oops. Maybe he didn't know.

"A-Ano…" Oh gosh. Now she'd ruined it. She had to fix the situation somehow!

"Wait just a minute!" Kyo looked terrified. "Do you mean to tell me that _woman_ is going to be waiting for me at the house?! Hell no I'm not going back!"

"Um…no?" Tohru tried meekly.

"Oh of all the-"

"No, Kyo-kun!" Tohru cried. "You must go! I'm sorry. It was supposed to be a surprise and now I've ruined the whole thing and if you don't show up Kagura will be so sad!"

"How do you expect me to-"

"Please, Kyo-kun?" Tohru pleaded. She had to convince him. She just _had_ to. Even if it tore her heart, she'd rather be the one hurting than to see Kagura's crestfallen face. She would already have to deal with the girl later when she confessed her own feelings about the Cat. "Please? I don't want Kagura-chan to get hurt."

Kyo's face softened. "Tohru…"

"Please, Kyo-kun?" she looked at him desperately. His eyes held hers in a captivating gaze. She could almost feel herself starting to fall into the amber depths. "If it was me, I would be d-devastated if you didn't show up!"

Kyo's face changed slightly. She couldn't tell how, but it did. He reached out to brush away the tears that were running down her face. Funny. She hadn't even known she was crying. "Tohru," his thumb caressed the side of her cheek. His eyes looked down at hers with an emotion she couldn't place. It caused her stomach to dance with butterflies. Standing here with him alone was so…wonderful. "I would never-"

A loud groan suddenly erupted from farther down the path. Both teenagers turned their heads to see a small, disgruntled boy with spiky hair. The boy frowned.

"Geez, so this is why you're taking forever? Stupid! Kisa's worried sick since you're not home yet."

"H-Hiro-kun!" Tohru looked down at the boy in surprise. Her shock was so great that she didn't even realize Kyo was still standing so close to her.

"And why are you two standing together like that? Were you being indecent?"

"What the hell?!" Kyo glared at the Ram. "Indecent?! Are you always making up wild stories in that small brain of yours?"

Hiro scoffed. "You're one to talk," he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say, runt?!"

"Ano…Kyo-kun?" Tohru sweatdropped. "Maybe we should just head home. Hiro-kun's right. We don't want to worry Kisa."

Kyo seemed hesitant. No doubt he was contemplating having to deal with Kagura versus Tohru's recent outburst on the matter. "Please, Kyo-kun? She's waiting for you." Tohru turned her big brown eyes upon him.

Hiro raised an eyebrow. _Interesting_. Tohru's statement could imply that Kyo knew about Kagura's surprise dinner. If this was the case, Kyo would surely run away.

Tohru continued her doleful expression. Hiro sensed Kyo's uncertainty. The Cat's leg twitched as if he wanted to flee. Kyo readied himself like he'd come to a decision. "Fine! Let's get this over with," he yelled and stomped off towards the house. Tohru looked surprised for a moment and then put on a smile and followed.

"Are you coming, Hiro-kun?" she called from up ahead.

_What the hell just happened?_ Hiro thought to himself. Certainly Kyo did not just willingly agree to a dinner date with the Boar? That was ludicrous. That went against all the laws of nature. Just because some airhead batted her eyelashes at him? That girl was _not_ that special. He scowled.

No. Wait.

_She's waiting for you_.

That could mean Kisa. Of course! It certainly meant Kisa, which meant that Kyo didn't know about Kagura. Hiro smirked at his own genius. Kyo didn't know what he was walking into and Tohru Honda was not special.

Hiro headed back to the house. He didn't want to miss the complete look of terror on Kyo's face upon seeing "his beloved" cooking dinner. It was one reason why he'd chosen to come over. The other was, of course, to accompany Kisa. There was no way he'd let her walk around with so many perverts (namely one Dog) in the area. But as Hiro neared the front steps to Shigure's house, one troublesome thought crossed his mind.

Kyo never asked why he and Kisa were here.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review. Your comments make writing this story worthwhile. Happy Holidays! Eat lots of sugar cookies and spend quality time with the fam! \(^o^)/


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